"Looks like practitioners from both the Sea Dragon Palace and the Sky Dragon Palace went to the industrial cities because of the attempt to steal the World Tree stump," Myrtle said, her voice calm yet edged with concern as her breath misted in the cold air.

"Well, glad we left before that mess," Yumina replied, pulling her fur-lined hood tighter. "Miss Myrtle, also... where’s Tyla?"

"Just call me Myrtle," the woman said, her tone firm but warm. "Tyla is busy analyzing the thing she got from the World Tree. You know her — she came here just to get that."

Yumina smiled faintly. "Yeah... that’s true."

"If you want, you can also stay in pocket dimension too."

"Nope... I am ok here..."

The group traveled across the snowy plains, each on a separate sledge pulled by bear-sized winter husky dogs. The beasts had thick, silvery fur that shimmered faintly under the pale sunlight, their heavy paws leaving deep impressions in the snow. The air was crisp, filled with the soft crunching sound of sleds sliding over frozen ground.

"Woohooo!" Zuzia cheered from behind, her voice echoing across the icy landscape.

Myrtle turned her head — and blinked. Zuzia, in her usual chaotic fashion, was not riding her sledge properly. Instead, she was the one dragging it — with the massive husky lounging comfortably inside the sledge, tongue lolling out in confusion as the energetic girl pulled it forward.

"Woohooo!" Lanny copied Zuzia’s excitement, raising her mittened hands and shouting at the top of her lungs, though her voice cracked from the cold.

"Yeah... that doesn’t look fake at all," Myrtle muttered dryly, giving Lanny a sidelong glance before deliberately turning her head away to avoid seeing Zuzia’s antics. Her lips twitched, fighting back a smile.

After some time, they reached the edge of a lake that looked almost like a tourist attraction. The snow-covered path opened to a wide, circular area bordered by a shimmering protective barrier fence. Frosted handrails lined the edge, glowing faintly with blue inscriptions to keep visitors safe.

Zuzia jumped off her sledge the moment they arrived and ran up to the railing, her boots skidding slightly on the ice. She leaned forward eagerly to get a better look.

Her eyes widened in awe. "This is the lake!?"

The others followed her gaze, and even Myrtle’s stoic expression softened.

Floating just a few hundred meters above the lake’s surface was a small island — about a hundred meters long — drifting gently in the sky. Streams of water spiraled upward from the lake, forming a massive pillar several meters in diameter that connected the two. The island seemed to drink from the lake below, sucking up water through the liquid column while excess water spilled from its edges in glittering cascades, creating a curtain of mist that refracted the sunlight into tiny rainbows.

It was breathtaking — a natural fountain that looked like a artistic.

Yumina exhaled softly, her eyes reflecting the dancing light. "It’s certainly impressive."

"It’s a very rare sight," Myrtle said, crossing her arms as she observed the phenomenon with a mix of admiration and caution. "It’s rare to see a hundred-meter-long floating island absorbing water. These kinds of natural arrays are not easy to found."

"It’s Artificially made?" Yumina eyes widened and suprised.

"I want this..." Zuzia said suddenly, her tone so serious that it startled even the husky sitting behind her.

Yumina blinked and laughed, assuming it was a joke. "You want it? What are you going to do with an entire floating island? Put it in your roo–"

But she paused when she recalled the pocket dimension.

But Myrtle sighed deeply, rubbing her temples. "Princ—" She caught herself and corrected quickly, "Zuzia... it looks like that island belongs to some sort of local sect. It’s clearly a sacred site — look at those inscriptions around the barrier. And besides, it’s a tourist attraction. If we take this, they’ll definitely hunt us down. We won’t be able to enjoy our travels like this. We’ll just have to fly away and pretend we never saw it."

"Huh? Really?" Yumina blinked, half amused and half alarmed. "You’re ready to steal it? Just like that?"

Myrtle shrugged slightly, though her faint smirk betrayed that she wasn’t entirely serious.

"Everything has a price, right?" Lanny chimed in with a neutral tone, her words muffled by the thick scarf wrapped around her face. Along with mask her whole face is covered, "How about we ask Miste— Ms. Tyla to buy it? She probably can afford it."

Lanny’s entire body was bundled up in layers of winter clothing, and she was trembling like a leaf in the cold.

"I told you not to copy Zuzia’s reckless dragging-the-sledge stunt," Myrtle teased, glancing at Lanny’s snow-dusted boots.

Lanny groaned softly. "It wasn’t my fault. I thought it looked fun..."

The sound of rushing water filled the air, blending with the distant howl of the wind. Snowflakes drifted lazily from the sky, melting as they neared the shimmering barrier around the lake.

While they bickered lightheartedly, Yumina found herself smiling again. ’It’s fun being around them’, she thought. It reminds her of her childhood friends — those carefree days filled with laughter and warmth.

┉┈ ◈ ◉ ◈ ┈┉

Inside the pocket dimension, within the heart of a luxurious mansion-like home, Tyler sat quietly on a soft, velvet couch. The room was warmly lit, the golden glow of the floating chandelier reflecting off crystalline walls that shimmered faintly with aura. A tray filled with bright winter berries sat on the table before him — round, glossy, and slightly frosted.

Mana sat across from him, her legs tucked beneath her as she popped a berry into her mouth, savoring its sweet-tart flavor. The sound of her chewing broke the silence that lingered between them.

"Alright... let’s try again," Mana said determinedly, brushing her fingertips across her lips. Her eyes, bright with confidence, locked onto his.

Tyler nodded slowly. "Yeah. Mode: Ghost."

Their bodies glowed faintly, outlines blurring into translucent light as their souls intertwined. The merging process was smooth but still a bit dizzying. When the glow faded, Tyler and Mana were no longer two — they were one. Tyla.

---

Inside Tyla’s consciousness, the world stretched endlessly in white. The ground, the sky — everything looked like an ocean of light. A faint warmth pulsed rhythmically, echoing like a heartbeat in the distance. In that sea of brightness, a single green sapling stood — tiny yet full of vitality, its roots gently pulsing with life.

Mana, now partially aware within this shared consciousness, glanced at the sapling but ignored it. She had something else to find. The air around her felt fluid, like she was swimming through memory itself. Her form drifted weightlessly through the pale world, drawn toward a subtle glimmer deep within the void.

As she moved closer, she saw it — a pearl, faintly glowing and half-buried beneath layers of spiritual consciousness. The Pocket Dimension Pearl.

"There you are..." she whispered softly, reaching toward it.

The moment her fingers brushed the pearl, a surge of resistance shot through the space.

---

Outside, Tyla’s body trembled on the couch. Her expression dulled, eyes fluttering as her consciousness wavered. The Ghost Mode was unstable — they had tried this before, and each time Tyla had nearly lost control. But this time, she clenched her fists tightly, grounding herself with sheer will.

Inside, Mana pressed on. She placed her palm firmly against the pearl and focused. With a silent command, she reached into its storage.

In the real world, a flash of light erupted.

Boom.

The house quivered slightly as a pulse of energy expanded through the room. The merging instantly broke — Tyler and Mana were thrown apart, landing on opposite sides of the couch.

When the light settled, both stared ahead in surprise. Three objects now rested on the floor before them: a copper pot, a copper ladle, and a copper lid — each lookef ordinary. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Mana blinked, her eyes sparkling with triumph. "It’s really a full divine kitchen set!" She grinned, then jumped up, raising her hands. "We did it! We finally took them out!"

Tyler smiled softly, brushing dust from his sleeve. "Good work," he said warmly, reaching out to gently pat her head.

Mana froze mid-cheer, then instinctively lowered her head toward his Pants, leaning closer — almost too close.

Tyler blinked, confused. "Uh...?"

Mana paused, a faint blush rising to her cheeks. "Oh... Mana forgot. You’re in amnesia. Thought you were pushing Mana’s head for... Giving heads."

Tyler coughed awkwardly, looking away as his face turned red. "Cough... I really am a sinful playboy, huh..."

Mana smirked, folding her arms. "Well... it’s not like Mana hates this side of you," she teased with a soft, playful tone. Her eyes gleamed with mischief. "We can play later with divine kitchen sets... but for now, let’s finish what we started."

She leaned closer again, placing her hand gently on his thigh. Her voice dropped to a whisper, warm against his skin. "Mode: Pseudo Ghost."

A faint pulse of light rippled from her palm. Tyler’s pant twitched — shimmered, and whatever he was wearing below phased through him and fell down.

Something popped hard before Mana.

"Long Time No See... itadakimasu"

Mana’s lips curled into a small, impish smile as she moved closer. Without breaking eye contact, she tilted her head and softly took his thing into her mouth.

The room grew quiet again.